Karnataka High Court Weekly Round-Up: April 06 – April 12, 2026

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 133- 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 144Nominal IndexShyam Mehta S/o Bimal Mehta & Ors. v. State of Karnataka & Anr., 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 134Smt. Shaila & Anr. v. The Managing Director, ICICI Lombard GIC Ltd. & Anr, 2026 LiveLaw(Kar) 135Committee For Public Accountability (Regd) v. Kannada Univeristy Hampi & Anr., 2026 LiveLaw(Kar) 136Management Of Bosch Ltd v. Andrew C. Shekharan Kp & Ors, 2026 LiveLaw(Kar) 137Employees State Insurance Corporation & Anr. v. Sri Abhishek Choudhari & Ors., 2026 LiveLaw(Kar) 138Somashehar Rajavamshi V. Union Of India And Others, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 139M/S. New Space Research and Technologies Private Limited v. The State of Karnataka, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 140Omisha Mara v. Passport Authority of India, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 141Pramoda Devi Wadiyar v. State of Karnataka, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 142Chandana H N v. State of Karnataka & Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 143Smt. Eman Abbas Topiwala vs. State of Karnataka, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 144Judgments/ OrdersUttering Caste Slurs At Factory Dispatch Door Accessed By Workers Falls Under 'Public View' Under SC/ST Act: Karnataka High CourtCase Title: Shyam Mehta S/o Bimal Mehta & Ors. v. State of Karnataka & Anr.Case No.: Crl Petition No.100213 of 2025Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 134The Karnataka High Court has recently held that the dispatch door of factory premises, though not a 'public place', due to its accessibility to other workers in the premises, can very well fall within the definition of 'public view' as contemplated under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.The court thus said that in such a case Section 3(1)(r) SC/ST Act was "prima facie" attracted. The offence states whoever not being a member of a SC or ST intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.Lok Adalat Award Not Valid Without Signatures Of Parties; Advocate's Signature Alone Not Binding: Karnataka High CourtCase Title: Smt. Shaila & Anr. v. The Managing Director, ICICI Lombard GIC Ltd. & Anr.Case No: Writ Petition No. 102733/2021Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 135Quashing a Lok Adalat award payable to the family of the deceased in a motor accident claims appeal, Karnataka High Court has clarified that the claimant not signing the joint memo of the award would render the award non-binding upon him, even claimant's' lawyer signs the memo.The single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna, relying on various precedents, noted that the National Legal Services Authority (Lok Adalats) Regulations offer surety about the validity of an award arising from a settlement. The court noted that Regulation 17 explicitly talks about ensuring that the parties affix their signatures after fully understanding the terms of the settlement, for such an award to be valid.“…It is clear from the joint memo that the claimants have not affixed their signatures….It is only the Advocates of both sides and the representative of the Insurance Company who have affixed their signatures…since the claimants have not signed the joint memo, I deem it appropriate to set aside the award of the Lok Adalat and restore the appeal to its file to be heard on its merits”, the bench sitting at Dharwad held.Can't Interfere In Kannada University's Freedom To Confer Awards: Karnataka High Court Rejects PIL Against 'Nadoja' Honour To HC SathyanCase Title: Committee For Public Accountability (Regd) v. Kannada Univeristy Hampi & Anr.Case No: WP 6414/2026Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 136The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (April 07) refused to entertain a plea by Committee For Public Accountability against conferment of Nadoja honorary degree to state information commissioner HC Sathyan by Kannada University.A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha held that the court cannot interfere in the independence of the university to confer award on anyone.As per reports, on the 34th Annual Convocation of Kannada University in Hampi, Karnataka State Information Commissioner H.C Sathyan was conferred with the prestigious Nadoja honorary degree. The degree/award is usually presented to eminent personalities for their contributions to Kannada language, literature, culture, and social service etc.Industrial Disputes Act | Application Not Needed For Condonation U/S 33C(1) If 'Sufficient Cause' Is Shown In Main Petition: Karnataka HCCase Title: Management Of Bosch Ltd v. Andrew C. Shekharan Kp & OrsCase No: Writ Petition No. 6976 Of 2019Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 137The Karnataka High Court has recently held that a workman is not required to file a separate delay condonation application under Section 33 C (1) [Recovery of money due from an employer] of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.The single judge bench of Justice Ananth Ramanath Hegde observed that...

Karnataka High Court Weekly Round-Up: April 06 – April 12, 2026

Sebin James

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